Who has the strongest army? Armies of different countries: numbers, composition of troops and combat readiness. The most efficient army
Time moves forward, the world does not stand still. Humanity has long realized that war brings only destruction and death. But this awareness does not give the effect that we would like. The globe is engulfed in wars, and even countries that are not waging war are aware of the existence of many factors that do not allow them to relax. All this leads to the fact that each country is trying to increase its military forces in order to feel secure.
The international community understands that it is impossible to completely abandon weapons, since there are people, for example, terrorists or extremists, who will continue to destroy civilians for their religious reasons. And everyone is wondering what the top strongest armies in the world look like.
To compile such a list, you need to select a number of criteria by which the armies will be evaluated. This:
- maximum conscription of people into the army;
- number of tanks;
- number of aircraft;
- nuclear combat power;
- number of aircraft carriers;
- number of submarines;
- military budget.
It is from these angles that we will consider the armies of the world. The ranking of countries is very interesting and, sometimes, predictable. Let's take a closer look at our winners.
1. USA - winner of the race
This country very predictably took first place. If you ask an ordinary person what the strongest army in the world is, fifty percent will answer that the US military forces, and they will be right.
According to the above characteristics, the USA wins in three. The first of these is the number of aircraft. 13,643 units of aircraft - that's what the US Army can boast of. This country is also the undoubted leader in the number of aircraft carriers, there are 10 of them, while Russia or China have only one each. And the third, probably one of the most important qualities due to which the United States does not lose ground in the arms race, is the budget. The White House invests more than $612 billion into its military each year, and the US Army is proving that it is worth the money.
In addition, the status of the most high-tech and combat-ready army also belongs to this army. The United States has its own all over the world, which allows them to significantly intimidate potential enemies. After all, they can strike in just a couple of hours after receiving an order to do so.
The Pentagon also does not lag behind in modern military developments, which gives ever new, unprecedented types of weapons that have ever greater power and greater range.
All these factors help to understand that the United States is ahead of all other armies in the world. The ranking is deservedly topped by this country, but it is not the only one that deserves attention.
Any state. And it exists in every country. But which armies in the world can rightly be called the best?
Türkiye
In tenth place are They include land, air, and sea. It is worth noting that the total population of the state is approximately 77-78 million people. And the active manpower is estimated at ~ 410,500 soldiers. At the same time, there are approximately 185 thousand military personnel in reserve. And the number of ground combat equipment is about 14,000 units. At the same time there are approximately 200 military vessels. In the air there are 1007 attack aircraft, bombers and fighters. And finally, the budget. Each year, $18,185 billion is spent on defense.
It cannot be said that Türkiye at all times could boast of a powerful army. But constant conflicts (both external and internal) forced the armed forces of this state to rise to a completely new level.
Japan and Germany
Next after Turkey, in ninth place in the ranking, is Japan. The population of this state is 127 million people. The active manpower is 250 thousand military and approximately 58,000 in reserve. There are 4,329 ground-based equipment; the navy has fewer - only 131 vessels. The air force has about 1,690 attack aircraft, fighters and bombers. $40.3 billion is spent on defense annually.
The Japan Self-Defense Forces were founded in 1954. The military policy of this state is very interesting. The main principles: do not attack, do not use nuclear weapons, control the activities of the armed forces and cooperate with the United States.
Eighth place in the ranking, which lists the strongest armies in the world, is occupied by the Bundeswehr (Germany). On the day it was founded (07/07/1955), the German Ministry of Defense also opened. There are currently 180,000 military personnel per ~80,000,000 population (plus 145 thousand military reserves). Ground equipment is impressive in its quantity - 6481 units. has at its disposal 81 military vessels. And they have 676 units of equipment. Approximately $36.3 billion is spent on defense annually.
South Korea, France and England
7th, 6th and 5th places are occupied by the armed forces of South Korea, France and England. They also joined the strongest armies in the world. The population of South Korea is less than 50 million people. And this number accounts for 625,000 military personnel plus almost 3,000,000 (!) in reserve. The equipment is also striking in its numbers: 12,619 combat vehicles, 166 ships and 1,451 units in the air fleet.
Talking about the size of the world's armies, it is worth noting that in France almost 11,300,000 people are fit for service, or 1/6 of the entire population! That's a lot. Why was France included in the rating called “The Strongest Armies in the World”? Because her troops are truly unique. The French army remains one of those that is entirely equipped with equipment and all kinds of weapons from its own manufacturer. It is also interesting that many women serve in the ranks of the armed forces of this country; their percentage of the total number of military personnel is 15!
England was also included in the list of “The most powerful armies in the world.” And it's no wonder why she ranks fifth. After all, the British army is directly involved in hostilities in many hot spots. But that is not all. In addition, British military forces participate in UN operations to maintain widespread security and peace (not many armies in the world are involved in this).
India
Many are surprised to learn that the armed forces of this particular state are on the 4th line of the ranking called “The most powerful armies of the countries of the world.” But it is so. The population is almost 1.3 billion. And about 2,143,000 people liable for military service! There are 1,325,000 people serving. The total number of equipment is 23,545. It is not surprising that in 2012 this state ranked first on the entire planet in terms of arms imports. By the way, it is interesting that in India everyone serves under a contract - no one is forced.
China
Naturally, when talking about the most powerful armies in the world, we cannot forget about China. In total, there are 2,335,000 military personnel in the armed forces of this state. The same number are in reserve. And an amount of 155.6 billion (!) dollars is spent annually on defense. By the way, in terms of the total number of equipment, China is not much ahead of India. This state has at its disposal 27,320 units of combat vehicles, ships, bombers, etc.
The Chinese army has certain characteristics. Or rather, the requirements for military personnel. Men with tattoos cannot serve in the Chinese army. Even with those whose diameter does not exceed two centimeters. And since 2006, military schools have become closed to those who snore. This was explained by the fact that snoring prevents many from falling asleep, and as a result, sleep-deprived soldiers who cannot fully engage. And it was also stated that all military personnel whose problems include obesity are automatically deprived of the opportunity to grow in their careers.
1st and 2nd places
The Russian Federation and the United States are the armies in the world that are rightly considered the best. Our country is home to ~143,000,000 people. And the total number of military personnel (both reserve and active manpower) exceeds 3 million. Russia has a powerful navy and aerospace forces, and the total number of equipment is almost 65,000 units.
But the USA still ranks first in the ratings. The total population is ~321,400,000, supported by 2.5 million military personnel (both reserve and live force). The amount of equipment is approximately the same, but there are fewer military personnel. It turns out that no other army in the world can compare with Russia. But why then is the USA in first place? It's simple. Our Russian army has a budget of ~47 billion dollars. Only. And the USA spends 581 (!) billion on this.
Comparing the military power of different states is a complex but interesting problem. Despite all the difficulties associated with assessing the power of the armed forces of a particular state, attempts are constantly being made to rank the most militarily powerful states. Due to constant tensions or open clashes constantly observed in different parts of the world, such ratings are in demand and attract the attention of the general public.
On July 10, the American publication Business Insider published a material entitled The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World (“35 most powerful armies in the world”). As is clear from the title, the authors of the article tried to compare the armed forces of leading countries and find out which state has the most powerful army. For convenience, the list was limited to only 35 positions, which is why the vast majority of countries in the world were not able to get into it.
According to Business Insider, the top ten most militarily powerful states are as follows: USA, Russia, China, India, Great Britain, France, Germany, Turkey, South Korea and Japan. Keeping in mind recent events, it is necessary to note the position in the ranking of several other states. Thus, Israel was unable to enter the top ten and stopped in 11th place, Ukraine took 21st place, and Iran is right behind it in the ranking. The Syrian armed forces secured their country 26th place in the world rankings. The last place in the list from Business Insider is occupied by the DPRK.
GFP rating
It should be noted that the authors of The 35 Most Powerful Militaries In The World did not independently conduct research on the world's armed forces, but used an existing database. They took the famous Global Firepower Index (GFP) rating as the basis for their work. This rating is considered one of the most famous and authoritative in the world.
The purpose of the GFP database is to collect information about the world's armed forces, analyze it and summarize it. The latest ranking of the world's armies was published in April of this year and contains information about the armed forces of 106 states. In the future, the number of countries included in the ranking will increase.
To compare the military power of states, the authors of the Global Firepower Index use a complex assessment methodology that takes into account over 50 different factors. Based on the calculation results, the army receives a rating (Power index or PwrIndex), which approximately reflects its capabilities. At the same time, for greater objectivity of assessments, a system of bonus and penalty points is used. Besides, objectivity is intended to ensure several additional conditions:
— the assessment does not take into account nuclear weapons;
— the assessment takes into account the geographical features of the state;
— the assessment takes into account not only the number of weapons and equipment;
— the assessment takes into account the production and consumption of certain resources;
— landlocked states do not receive penalty points for not having a navy;
- a fine is imposed for the limited capabilities of the military fleet;
— the assessment does not take into account the characteristics of the country’s political and military leadership.
The result of the calculation is a decimal fraction with four decimal places. Ideally, the state index should be equal to 0.0000, but achieving such high indicators in reality is impossible. For example, the leader of the latest ranking, the USA, has a score of 0.2208, and Japan closes the top ten with a PwrIndex of 0.5586. Starting from 25th place (Saudi Arabia), state scores exceed one. Moreover, Tanzania, which is in last 106th place in the ranking, has a score of 4.3423.
Of course, the GFP rating has certain problems, but still allows you to create a relatively objective picture that takes into account many different factors. Let's turn to the Global Firepower Index database and look at what allowed countries to take the first 5 places in the ranking.
1. USA
The authors of the rating note that in recent years the United States has found itself in a difficult situation. Two costly wars and difficulties with new projects, as well as military budget cuts, have left the Pentagon facing many challenges. However, even under these conditions, the US military retained its first place in the GFP rankings, receiving a score of 0.2208.
The total population of the United States is 316.668 million people. The total number of human resources available for service is 142.2 million people. 120 million people aged 17-45 years can be drafted into the army if necessary. Every year, the number of potential conscripts is replenished with 4.2 million people. Currently, 1.43 million people serve in the US armed forces, and the reserve is 850 thousand people.
Ground units of the armed forces have a large amount of equipment of various classes and types. In total, the United States uses 8,325 tanks, 25,782 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, etc., 1,934 self-propelled artillery, 1,791 towed guns and 1,330 multiple launch rocket systems.
The total number of aircraft in the Air Force, Naval Aviation and Marine Aviation is 13,683. These are 2,271 fighters, 2,601 attack aircraft, 5,222 military transport aircraft, 2,745 training aircraft, as well as 6,012 multi-purpose and 914 attack helicopters.
The US Navy and other agencies currently operate more than 470 ships, submarines, boats and support vessels. 10 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 62 destroyers, 72 submarines, 13 coast guard ships and 13 minesweepers.
Despite the emergence of new weapons and equipment, the US armed forces still need oil and petroleum products. The United States oil industry currently produces 8.5 million barrels per day. Daily consumption is 19 million. US proven reserves are 20.6 billion barrels.
The GFP ranking also takes into account countries' manufacturing and logistics capabilities. The total US labor force is 155 million people. The country has 393 merchant ships (flying the American flag) that can use 24 major ports. The total length of roads is 6.58 million miles, railways - 227.8 thousand miles. There are 13.5 thousand airports and airfields in operation.
An important element of the rating is the financial component of the armed forces. The US military budget is $612.5 billion. At the same time, the country's external debt is equal to $15.9 trillion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves are $150.2 billion, purchasing power parity is $15.9 trillion.
To predict a country's capabilities in a defensive war, the Global Firepower Index takes into account the geographical characteristics of countries. The total area of the USA is 9.8 million square meters. km. The coastline is 19.9 thousand km, the borders with neighboring countries are 12 thousand km. Waterways – 41 thousand km.
2. Russia
The total population of Russia is 145.5 million people, 69.1 million of whom can serve. Every year, 1.35 million people reach conscription age. Currently, 766 thousand people are serving in military service, and the reserve of the armed forces is 2.48 million.
Russia has one of the largest fleets of armored vehicles. Its armed forces have 15.5 thousand tanks, 27,607 armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and similar vehicles, 5,990 self-propelled guns, 4,625 towed guns and 3,871 MLRS.
The total number of aircraft in the armed forces is 3082 units. Of these, 736 fighters, 1,289 attack aircraft, 730 military transport, 303 training aircraft, as well as 973 multi-purpose and 114 attack helicopters.
The Navy and Border Guard operate more than 350 ships, boats and auxiliary vessels. This is one aircraft carrier, four frigates, 13 destroyers, 74 corvettes, 63 submarines and 65 coast guard ships. The mine sweeping forces are represented by 34 ships.
Russia's "working hands" are estimated at 75.68 million people. There are 1,143 sea and river merchant vessels. The main logistics load falls on seven major ports and terminals. The country has 982 thousand km of roads and 87.1 thousand km of railways. Air transport can use 1218 airfields.
The Russian military budget is $76.6 billion. The country's external debt is $631.8 billion. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at 537.6 billion dollars. Purchasing power parity – 2.486 trillion. dollars.
Russia is the largest state in the world and has an area of more than 17 million square meters. km. The country's coastline is 37,653 km long, and its land borders are 20,241 km long. The total length of waterways reaches 102 thousand km.
3. China
The top three in the April Global Firepower Index ranking is completed by China, which received a score of 0.2594. The country is increasing its defense spending, allowing it to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and also move up the GFP rankings.
The PRC is the world's largest country in terms of population: 1.35 billion people live in this country. If necessary, 749.6 million people can be drafted into the armed forces. Every year, 19.5 million people reach conscription age. Currently, 2.28 million people serve in the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), and 2.3 million are reservists.
The PLA has 9,150 tanks of various classes and types, 4,788 armored vehicles for infantry, 1,710 self-propelled and 6,246 towed guns. In addition, the ground forces have 1,770 multiple launch rocket systems.
The total number of aircraft in the Air Force and Naval Aviation is 2,788. Of these, 1,170 are fighters, 885 are attack aircraft. Transport missions are performed by 762 aircraft, and 380 aircraft are used for pilot training. In addition, the PLA has 865 multi-role helicopters and 122 attack helicopters.
The Chinese fleet has 520 ships, boats and vessels. This number includes one aircraft carrier, 45 frigates, 24 destroyers, 9 corvettes, 69 submarines, 353 coast guard ships and boats, and 119 mine-sweeping ships.
Every day, China produces 4.075 million barrels of oil, which is less than half of its own consumption (9.5 million barrels per day). Proven oil reserves are 25.58 billion barrels.
China's labor force is estimated at 798.5 million people. The country operates 2,030 merchant ships. 15 ports and terminals are of strategic importance. The total length of roads exceeds 3.86 million km, and there are also 86 thousand km of railways. Aviation can use 507 airfields.
According to GFP, China's defense budget reached $126 billion last year. At the same time, the country's external debt approached $729 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves reach 3.34 trillion. dollars. Purchasing power parity – 12.26 trillion. dollars.
The area of China is just under 9.6 million square meters. kilometers. The coastline is 14.5 thousand km long, the land border is 22,117 km. There are waterways with a total length of 110 thousand km.
4. India
India received a score of 0.3872 and ranks fourth in the GFP rankings. This state has already become the largest importer of weapons and military equipment, and, apparently, will continue military-technical cooperation with foreign partners in the future.
Being the second largest country in the world by population (1.22 billion people), India, if necessary, can call up to 615.2 million people into the army. Every year, the available human resources are replenished by 22.9 million people reaching military age. Currently, there are 1.325 million people serving in the Indian armed forces, with another 2.143 million in reserve.
The Indian ground forces have 3,569 tanks, 5,085 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 290 self-propelled guns and 6,445 towed artillery pieces. Rocket artillery is represented by 292 multiple launch rocket systems.
The Indian Air Force has 1,785 aircraft of all classes and types. The aircraft fleet has the following structure: 535 fighters, 468 attack aircraft, 706 military transport and 237 trainers. Transport and auxiliary tasks are performed by 504 multi-purpose helicopters. The destruction of enemy equipment and forces is assigned to 20 attack helicopters.
The Indian Navy is comparatively small, with only 184 ships. This number includes 2 aircraft carriers, 15 frigates, 11 destroyers, 24 corvettes, 17 submarines, 32 coast guard ships and boats, and 7 minesweepers.
India has relatively small oil fields, but the country remains dependent on foreign supplies. Proven reserves – 5.476 billion barrels. Every day, the Indian industry produces 897.5 thousand barrels of oil, and daily consumption reaches 3.2 million barrels.
The Indian workforce is estimated at 482.3 million. There are 340 merchant ships flying the Indian flag. The country has 7 major ports. The total length of roads exceeds 3.32 million km. For railways, this parameter does not exceed 64 thousand km. There are 346 airfields in operation.
This year, India has allocated $46 billion for defense needs. The state's external debt is approaching 379 billion. The country's gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at $297.8 billion, and purchasing power parity is $4.71 trillion.
The area of India is 3.287 million square meters. km. The country has land borders with a total length of 14,103 km and a coastline of 7 thousand km. The length of the country's waterways is 14.5 thousand km.
5. UK
The top five in the GFP ranking, compiled in April of this year, is completed by Great Britain, which received a score of 0.3923. This country intends to pay special attention to its armed forces in the near future and, in this regard, is implementing several new projects.
Of the 63.4 million British citizens, only 29.1 million people can join the army. The number of potential military personnel is replenished annually by 749 thousand people. Currently, 205.3 thousand people are serving in the armed forces. Reserve – 182 thousand.
The British ground forces are armed with 407 tanks, 6,245 armored vehicles for transporting infantry, 89 self-propelled artillery, 138 towed guns and 56 MLRS.
The Royal Air Force has 908 aircraft. These are mainly aircraft: 84 fighters, 178 attack aircraft, 338 military transport and 312 training aircraft. In addition, the troops have 362 multi-purpose and 66 attack helicopters.
Britain once had one of the most powerful navies in the world, but in recent decades it has lost its maritime power. At the moment there are only 66 ships and vessels in the British Naval Service. This includes 1 aircraft carrier, 13 frigates, 6 destroyers, 11 submarines, 24 coast guard vessels and 15 minesweepers.
Using platforms in the North Sea, the UK produces 1.1 million barrels of oil every day. However, production does not cover the country's own consumption, which reaches 1.7 million barrels per day. The country's proven reserves are at 3.12 billion barrels.
The UK industry and economy employs about 32 million people. The country's merchant fleet uses 504 vessels and 14 major ports. On the territory of the state there are 394.4 thousand km of roads and 16.45 thousand km of railways. There are 460 airfields and airports in operation.
The size of the UK's military budget reaches 56.6 billion dollars, external debt - 10.09 trillion dollars. Gold and foreign exchange reserves are estimated at 105.1 billion dollars. Purchasing power parity – 2.313 trillion. dollars.
The area of the island state is 243.6 thousand square meters. km. The length of the coastline is 12429 km. On land, the UK borders only Ireland. The length of this border does not exceed 390 km. The total length of waterways is 3200 km.
Leadership Issues
As you can see, the states that occupy the first positions in the Global Firepower Index have several common features. These countries pay great attention to their armed forces, including from a financial point of view. The conclusions of the authors of the GFP rating are confirmed by other sources.
For example, according to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), over the past few years, India (4th place in the GFP ranking), increasing the cost of purchasing weapons and military equipment, has literally soared up the list of importing countries and has taken a well-deserved first place. The “silver winner” of the GFP rating, Russia, is currently implementing the State Armaments Program, according to which just under 20 trillion will be spent on the purchase of weapons and equipment by 2020. rubles
The purchase of equipment and weapons can be considered one of the main factors that allow countries to stay at the top of the ranking. However, investment in new equipment alone cannot propel a country to the top of the list. In addition to procurement, competent management, proper operation of various structures of the armed forces, etc. are required.
When calculating the PwrIndex, fifty factors are taken into account, each of which can affect the place of a particular country in the list. However, there is some relationship between the quantity and quality of equipment and the country’s position in the ranking. To see it, you need to turn again to the table compiled by journalists from Business Insider.
The world leader in terms of the size of the military budget is unconditionally the United States with defense spending of $612.5 billion. The same country holds primacy in the field of aviation (13,683 aircraft) and aircraft carrier fleet (10 aircraft carriers). As a result, the United States finds itself in first place in the ranking.
Russia took second place and is also a leader in some indicators. The Russian army has 15 thousand tanks - more than anyone else. In addition, Busines Insider journalists took the liberty of supplementing the GFP rating data with information about countries’ nuclear arsenals. According to their calculations, Russia has 8,484 nuclear weapons of various classes and types.
The top three is completed by China, a leader in human resources. Theoretically, 749.6 million people could be drafted into the Chinese army. In addition, it is necessary to note the growing military budget of the PRC, which, according to Business Insider, is second only to the American one and has already reached $126 billion.
An interesting fact is that in the table from the article “The 35 Most Powerful Armies in the World,” the leadership in one of the points remained with a small and not very powerful country militarily. The DPRK occupies 35th place in the GFP ranking and its revised version from Business Insider. Despite this low ranking, the North Korean Navy is the world leader in the submarine fleet, with a reported 78 submarines of various types. However, world leadership in this area did not help North Korea rise above 35th place.
The Global Firepower Index, despite the fact that it was published several months ago, is still of some interest. Due to the complexity of the methodology for determining the rating, which takes into account a large number of various factors, this rating can be considered fairly objective and shows an approximate picture of the real state of affairs in the military field.
In addition, it should be noted that it can please the Russian reader, since our country took one of the first places in it and surpassed almost all other countries included in the ranking. The publication in Business Insider, in turn, reminds us of the GFP rating and allows us to once again feel proud of the Russian armed forces.
Which army is the strongest in the world? The usual answer is American. This is understandable: the largest military budget, a high number of military personnel, an abundance of equipment.
What about the second strongest army? They are already starting to think about it. Russian? Perhaps, she is well armed, she is a decent soldier, and she has enormous combat experience. But China has an immense mobilization potential, a huge number of troops, and equipment is also up to par.
This is the question that the curious web resource WONDERLIST tried to answer. He just has fun by comparing all sorts of quantities - from military strength to the most impressive LEGO models or the most difficult languages to learn.
Let's take a look at the ranking of the most powerful armies in the world, built on this resource. According to the authors, 68 countries were studied according to many criteria - labor resources, territory to be defended, logistics, resources, including human resources, finances and geography. From these indicators, a power index is compiled, the inverse of the firepower indicator. In general, the smaller it is, the more powerful the power from a military point of view. It’s not very clear how it is, but, as they say, it inspires.
Well, let's see. Perhaps this review will give you some food for thought.
10. Brazil
Battle of Monte Castello Remembered in Brazi. Photo: Tereza Sobreira/Zuma\TASS
Power index: 0.6912
Defense budget: $31,576,000,000
Active military personnel: 371,199
Labor resources: 104,700,000
Total aviation: 822
Total fleet: 106
9. Italy
Power Index: 0.6838
Defense budget: $31,946,000,000
Active military personnel: 293,202
Labor resources: 25,080,000
Total aviation: 770
Total fleet: 179
8. South Korea
Power Index: 0.6547
Defense budget: $28,280,000,000
Active military personnel: 653,000
Labor resources: 25,100,000
Total aviation: 871
Total fleet: 190
7. Germany
Power Index: 0.6491
Defense Budget: $43,478,000,000
Active military personnel: 148,996
Labor resources: 43,620,000
Total aviation: 925
Total fleet: 67
6 . France
Power Index: 0.6163
Defense budget: $58,244,000,000
Active military personnel: 362,485
Labor resources: 29,610,000
Total aviation: 544
Total fleet: 180
5. UK
Power index: 0.5185
Defense Budget: $57,875,170,000
Active military personnel: 224,500
Labor resources: 31,720,000
Total aviation: 1,412
Total fleet: 77
4. India
Power Index: 0.4346
Defense budget: $44,282,000,000
Active military personnel: 1,325,000
Labor resources: 487,600,000
Total aviation: 1,962
Total fleet: 170
3. China
Power Index: 0.3351
Defense budget: $129,272,000,000
Active military personnel: 2,285,000
Labor resources: 795,500,000
Total aviation: 5,048
Total fleet: 972
2. Russia
Power Index: 0.2618
Defense budget: $64,000,000,000
Active military personnel: 1,200,000
Labor resources: 75,330,000
Total aviation: 4,498
Total fleet: 224
1. USA
Photo: Rachel Larue/Zuma/TASS
Power Index: 0.2475
Defense budget: $689,591,000,000
Active military personnel: 1,477,896
Labor resources: 153,600,000
Total aviation: 15,293
Total fleet: 290.
Nuclear potential is not included in this calculation. As the authors of the rating explained, “the inclusion of such weapons would defeat the purpose of such a comparison.”
Which is understandable: one Russian “Sarmat” - and the entire power of the American army turns into dust...
Moreover, in terms of the integral “power index,” that is, the “firepower index,” Russia has practically caught up with the United States.
From time immemorial there have been many states on Earth. Almost every century their number is renewed: some countries split into several, while others, on the contrary, unite. Each state, depending on the goals of its political leaders, has its own army, usually consisting of infantry, military equipment, and so on.
Nowadays, the armed forces are mainly needed to preserve the sovereignty of a particular country, that is, to maintain the status of independence. There are countries that are not capable of maintaining a large number of troops. For example, the army of Luxembourg does not exceed 1000 people. But there are several states where the number of manpower serving in the army is very large.
10. Vietnam
Vietnamese troops are among the most advanced armed forces. The latest NATO developments and those of other origins, a huge amount of equipment, a large defense budget. According to the latest data, the manpower of Vietnamese troops has already exceeded 482 thousand people.
According to the leaders of this state, this quantity is enough, especially since military equipment will soon be serviced by a much smaller number of soldiers. Moreover, several decades ago, when the troops of the United States of America attacked Vietnam, Vietnam managed to win. There are more than 5 million people in the reserve.
9. Türkiye
One of the strongest countries in the North Atlantic alliance. The defense budget amounts to several tens of billions of dollars. Just like many NATO countries, there is a large amount of modern military equipment and weapons. In this situation, 511 thousand people The Turkish Armed Forces have enough personnel. In general, the military is well trained and can professionally not only repel an attack within the country, but also fight extremism abroad. The reserve of the Turkish army is about 379 thousand people.
8. Republic of Iran
Approximately 523 thousand people serves in the Iranian army. Of course, most of them are ground forces, since Iran is a state that is actively conducting ground operations against ISIS (banned in Russia). Basically, the Iranian army uses the development of military equipment and small arms of the Soviet Union and Russia. The army reserve is small: 350 thousand people. Most likely, this is due to the activity of Iran’s regular army and it is impossible to keep many people in reserve.
7. Republic of Korea
The South Korean army is just over 630 thousand soldiers. At the moment, South Korea is not a militaristic state, unlike its northern neighbor. But, despite this, a huge reserve was created - about three million.
Perhaps, just in case North Korea decides to have a good fight. At least, it has been threatening for a long time. Therefore, the reserve contains a relatively large number of people.
6. Pakistan
The Republic of Pakistan has a fairly large population. Few people know that India and Pakistan were at enmity with each other very deep in history (the western part of India professes Islam, like the whole of Pakistan). Pakistan Army has 644 thousand military personnel and 513 thousand reservists. Basically, they use weapons from the times of the USSR. Sometimes there are developments from the People's Republic of China, as well as many neighboring countries.
5. Russian Federation
831 thousand people, serving in the Russian army. Despite the fact that the Russian Federation is the largest state in the world, the army is small if you count manpower. The Ministry of Defense previously stated that Russia is actively developing military equipment, which involves reducing the number of military personnel serving it. Also, do not forget that cooks and other people needed for housework in military units are now civilians, and not military, as before. There are more than two million people in the reserve.
4. DPRK
North Korea, or rather its president, said that the army of this country should take first place in the number of military personnel. It is not surprising, because this state is one of the most aggressive towards Japan, the USA and its southern neighbor. 1,200,000 military personnel. This state gives almost all the funds from its budget to the KPA (Korean People's Army).
Despite the impressive number of people serving in the KPA, this state may well lose the war to South Korea. This is because the KPA's weapons have become obsolete a long time ago. Until now, this country supplies military units with developments that were used during the Second World War. To these are added units manufactured in the USSR, Japan and China. The Korean People's Army reserves number approximately 4 million.
3. India
A state with a high population density. Indian Army includes 1,346,000 soldiers who are in military service. Very high number of border troops, especially on the border with Pakistan. The weapons are mostly American, although India is quite successfully developing its own small arms and military equipment. The reserve is also large: 1,155,000 people.
2. USA
In second place in the ranking in terms of the number of military personnel. The United States has always tried to constantly increase its influence in foreign policy. She has a lot of both soldiers and military equipment. 1,382,000 people serves in the US Armed Forces.
Despite the fact that the American military industry is also heading towards reducing the number of service personnel, the United States is not going to reduce the number of military personnel. That is, he is trying to increase everything: the amount of military equipment, the number of soldiers. The weapons are powerful. The US armed forces reserve is 845 thousand people.
1. China
First in terms of population, and, of course, in terms of army size in the whole world. Moreover, both military equipment and manpower are ahead of everyone. 2,183,000 people serves in the ranks of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China.
The manpower of China's troops is constantly increasing. Small arms and military equipment are produced right in this country. True, either under a license from the country of the inventor, or analogues of existing weapons, but slightly modified in structure and properties. The reserve is small; according to the latest data, it numbers no more than half a million people.
